Endometriosis is a chronic estrogen-dependent disease characterized by the presence of endometrial glands and stroma outside their normal anatomical location. While laparoscopic removal of foci remains the gold standard therapy, it has limited efficacy and certain risks. However, cell therapy using pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages presents a promising and minimally invasive alternative for treating endometriosis. This approach showcases the potential for innovative and effective treatments for this condition. This study aims to explore the anti-endometriosis properties of M1 macrophages. A reproducible syngeneic mouse model of endometriosis was utilized, revealing that formed foci are primarily composed of macrophages with an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype rather than M1 macrophages. To investigate further, chemically reprogrammed M1 macrophages were labeled with the membrane fluorescent tag PKH26 and administered to animals with endometriosis. Therapy resulted in a decrease in the number and size of foci, accompanied by a shift in the phenotypic composition of peritoneal macrophages. Specifically, the content of M2 macrophages decreased while that of M1 macrophages increased, resembling the composition of healthy animals. Our study conclusively demonstrates the anti-endometriosis properties of M1 macrophages, providing a strong foundation for future research in the cell therapy of endometriosis.

UNASSIGNED: Although spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) has been well characterized under diffuse optical conditions, tissue measurements made outside the diffuse regime can provide new diagnostic information. Before such measurements can become clinically relevant, however, the behavior of sub-diffuse SFDI and its effect on the accuracy of derived tissue parameters must be assessed.
UNASSIGNED: We aim to characterize the impact that both the assumed scattering phase function (SPF) and the polarization state of the illumination light source have on the accuracy of SFDI-derived optical properties when operating under diffuse or sub-diffuse conditions, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: Through the use of a set of well-characterized optical phantoms, SFDI accuracy was assessed at four wavelengths (395, 545, 625, and 850 nm) and two different spatial frequencies (0.3 and 1.0    mm - 1 ), which provided a broad range of diffuse and sub-diffuse conditions, using three different SPFs. To determine the effects of polarization, the SFDI accuracy was assessed using both unpolarized and cross-polarized illumination.
UNASSIGNED: It was found that the assumed SPF has a direct and significant impact on the accuracy of the SFDI-derived optical properties, with the best choice of SPF being dictated by the polarization state. As unpolarized SFDI retains the sub-diffuse portion of the signal, optical properties were found to be more accurate when using the full SPF that includes forward and backscattering components. By contrast, cross-polarized SFDI yielded accurate optical properties when using a forward-scattering SPF, matching the behavior of cross-polarization to attenuate the immediate backscattering of sub-diffuse reflectance. Using the correct pairings of SPF and polarization enabled using a reflectance standard, instead of a more subjective phantom, as the reference measurement.
UNASSIGNED: These results provide the foundation for a more thorough understanding of SFDI and enable new applications of this technology in which sub-diffuse conditions dominate (e.g., μ a ≮ μ s \' ) or high spatial frequencies are required.

The physical properties of a biomaterial play a vital role in modulating macrophage polarization. However, discerning the specific effects of individual parameters can be intricate due to their interdependencies, limiting the mechanism underlying a specific parameter on the polarization of macrophages. Here, we engineered silk fibroin (SF) films with tunable surface roughness while maintaining similar physical properties by combining casting and salting out techniques. We demonstrate that increased surface roughness in SF films promotes M2-like macrophage polarization, characterized by enhanced secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Transcriptomic analysis unveils the modulation of genes associated with extracellular matrix-cell interactions, highlighting the role of surface topography in regulating cellular processes. Mechanistically, we show that surface roughness induces macrophage membrane curvature, facilitating integrin αv endocytosis and thereby inhibiting the integrin-NF-kB signaling pathway. In vivo implantation assays corroborate that rough SF films substantially mitigate early inflammatory responses. This work establishes a direct link between surface roughness and intracellular signaling in macrophages, adding to our understanding of the biomaterial surface effect at the material-cell interface and bringing insights into material design.

The interaction of biomaterials with the immune system is ruled by the action of macrophages. The surface features of these biomaterials, like wettability, which is an expression of chemical composition, texture, and geometry, can affect macrophages response. Such surface parameters can be then efficiently exploited to improve biocompatibility by lowering undesired immunological reactions and at the same time creating the substrate for positive interactions. In this work, the preparation and physicochemical characterization of highly water-repellent surfaces to develop and characterize 3D spheroids derived from monocyte-macrophages (RAW 264.7 cell line) has been carried out. As a measure of cell viability over time, the obtained aggregates have been transferred under standard 2D cell culture conditions. Significant changes on the morphology-associated polarization of the derived cellular entities have been evaluated at the nanoscale through 3D profilometry. The results suggested that the spheroid formation using highly repellent substrates induced the activation of M2-type cells. This simple and cost-effective approach can be used for preparing M2-based macrophages for regenerative purposes.

The polarization balance of M1/M2 macrophages with different functions is important in osteogenesis and bone repair processes. In a previous study, we succeeded in developing honeycomb tricalcium phosphate (TCP), which is a cylindrical scaffold with a honeycomb arrangement of straight pores, and we demonstrated that TCP with 300 and 500 μm pore diameters (300TCP and 500TCP) induced bone formation within the pores. However, the details of the influence of macrophage polarization on bone formation using engineered biomaterials, especially with respect to the geometric structure of the artificial biomaterials, are unknown. In this study, we examined whether differences in bone tissue formation due to differences in TCP geometry were due to the polarity of the assembling macrophages. Immunohistochemistry for IBA-1, iNOS, and CD163 single staining was performed. The 300TCP showed a marked infiltration of iNOS-positive cells, which are thought to be M1 macrophages, during the osteogenesis process, while no involvement of CD163-positive cells, which are thought to be M2 macrophages, was observed in the TCP pores. In addition, 500TCP showed a clustering of iNOS-positive cells and CD163-positive cells at 2 weeks, suggesting the involvement of M2 macrophages in the formation of bone tissue in the TCP pores. In conclusion, we demonstrated for the first time that the geometrical structure of the artificial biomaterial, i.e., the pore size of honeycomb TCP, affects the polarization of M1/2 macrophages and bone tissue formation in TCP pores.

UNASSIGNED: Zhiqiao Gancao decoction (ZQGCD) was created by Professor Gong Zhengfeng, a renowned Chinese medicine expert. Clinical studies have shown its efficacy in alleviating pain and enhancing lumbar function in intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) patients. However, the precise mechanism of ZQGCD in treating IDD remains unclear.
UNASSIGNED: The active components of ZQGCD were identified using Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). A rat model of intervertebral disc degeneration was established, and rats in each group received ZQGCD for three weeks. Assessment parameters included hyperalgesia status, observation of intervertebral disc tissue degeneration and macrophage infiltration, and analysis of JAK2/STAT3 pathway protein expression in the intervertebral disc. Primary macrophage M1 polarization was induced using LPS, with cells treated using the JAK2 inhibitor (AZD1480) and ZQGCD to evaluate macrophage polarization, cellular supernatant inflammatory factors, and JAK2/STAT3 pathway expression. Macrophage supernatant served as a conditioned medium to observe its effects on the proliferation of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and the expression of collagen II and MMP3 proteins.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 81 active components were identified in ZQGCD. Following ZQGCD treatment, infiltrating macrophages in intervertebral disc tissues of model rats decreased, the content of M1 macrophages decreased, while the content of M2 macrophages increased, the expression of proinflammatory factors and pain-inducing factors in serum decreased, and the expression of substance P in intervertebral disc tissue decreased. Consequently, the intervertebral disc degeneration and hyperalgesia of rats were improved. In vitro studies revealed that LPS induced M1 macrophage polarization. By inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, both JAK2 inhibitors and ZQGCD effectively suppressed M1 polarization, resulting in decreased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and various other inflammatory factors. Consequently, this inhibition led to a delay in the degeneration of NPCs.
UNASSIGNED: There is macrophage infiltration in the intervertebral disc tissue of IDD rats, and JAK2/STAT3 pathway is activated, macrophages are polarized to M1 type, resulting in inflammatory microenvironment, leading to intervertebral disc degeneration and hyperalgesia. ZQGCD exhibited a delaying effect on IDD and improved hyperalgesia by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3/macrophage M1 polarization pathway.

Intestinal flora metabolites played a crucial role in immunomodulation by influencing host immune responses through various pathways. Macrophages, as a type of innate immune cell, were essential in chemotaxis, phagocytosis, inflammatory responses, and microbial elimination. Different macrophage phenotypes had distinct biological functions, regulated by diverse factors and mechanisms. Advances in intestinal flora sequencing and metabolomics have enhanced understanding of how intestinal flora metabolites affect macrophage phenotypes and functions. These metabolites had varying effects on macrophage polarization and different mechanisms of influence. This study summarized the impact of gut microbiota metabolites on macrophage phenotype and function, along with the underlying mechanisms associated with different metabolites produced by intestinal flora.

Many warn that the United States is on the brink of democratic collapse, because partisan animosity, support for partisan violence, and support for undemocratic practices are on the rise. Quelling some fears, scholars have offered interventions that use messages to correct misperceptions about citizens\' partisan opponents (the \"out-party\"). In this article, we provide evidence that the effects of these interventions are not as robust or consistent as hoped. First, we use panel data ( n = 9,810 ) to show that perceptions of the out-party are highly variable. This suggests that these perceptions are weakly held and thus unlikely to be a significant cause of hostile attitudes. The oscillation of perceptions over time also suggests that, for many, any effect of corrections would likely be overwhelmed in just 1 month. Second, in a meta-analysis of 67 statistical tests from 12 studies in eight papers, we document that current evidence on the efficacy of corrections is weak. Third and finally, in pre-registered experiments ( n = 2,846 ), we find that changing Americans\' perceptions of the out-party\'s demographics, policy attitudes, and support for undemocratic practices has no consistent effect on partisan animosity, support for partisan violence, or support for undemocratic practices. These observations suggest that correcting misperceptions of the out-party is not a panacea for our democratic ills.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with metastasis being the primary cause of mortality in lung cancer patients, and its prevention and control efficacy remain limited. In recent years, immunotherapy has emerged as a promising direction for overcoming the bottleneck of metastasis. Macrophages, as essential components of innate immunity, participate in the entire process of tumor initiation and progression. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) represent the most abundant immune population in the tumor microenvironment (TME), displaying both anti-tumor M1-like and pro-tumor M2-like phenotypes. The latter promotes tumor invasion and metastasis, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, immune suppression, and reactivation of dormant disseminated tumor cells (DTCs), thereby facilitating tumor metastasis. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown significant efficacy in inhibiting tumor metastasis and has been extensively validated. It exerts anti-tumor effects by reducing the recruitment of TAMs, inhibiting M2-like polarization, and modulating cytokines and proteins in the TME. This paper reviews the relationship between TAMs and lung cancer metastasis, elucidates the targets and mechanisms of TCM in regulating TAMs to prevent and treat lung cancer metastasis, aiming to provide insights into lung cancer prevention and treatment.
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【中文题目：中医药调控肿瘤相关巨噬细胞
防治肺癌转移的基础研究进展】 【中文摘要：肺癌是全球死亡率最高的癌种，而转移则是导致肺癌患者死亡的主要原因，且防控效率不高。近年来研究发现，免疫疗法或许是突破转移瓶颈的方向。巨噬细胞作为固有免疫的重要组成部分，参与肿瘤发生发展的全过程。肿瘤相关巨噬细胞（tumor-associated macrophages, TAMs）是肿瘤微环境（tumor microenvironment, TME）中最丰富的免疫群体，具有抗肿瘤的M1型和促肿瘤的M2型，后者通过促进肿瘤侵袭和转移、血管和淋巴管生成、免疫抑制和介导播散肿瘤细胞（disseminated tumor cells, DTCs）休眠重激活等途径促进肿瘤转移。近年来，中医药抑制肿瘤转移疗效显著并得到诸多验证，它能通过减少TAMs的募集、抑制M2型极化和调节TME中的细胞因子和蛋白发挥抗肿瘤作用。本文综述了TAMs与肺癌转移之间的关系，梳理了中医药调控TAMs防治肺癌转移的靶点与机制，以期为肺癌防治提供思路。
】 【中文关键词：肿瘤相关巨噬细胞；极化；肺肿瘤；转移；中医药】.

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) accounts for about one-third of epilepsy patients worldwide. Peimine, a main active component of Fritillaria, has been reported to show anti-inflammatory effects. However, its potential therapeutic role in DRE is not yet fully understood. In this work, a DRE rat model was established by injecting 1 μg kainic acid (KA), followed by a 250 mg/kg administration of valproic acid (VPA) from day 4-31. Rats were treated with different doses of peimine (2.5 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg) daily from day 32-62. In vitro, BV-2 microglia were exposed to different doses of peimine (7.5 μg/ml, 15 μg/ml, and 30 μg/ml) in presence of LPS. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential therapeutic effects of peimine on DRE. The results showed that peimine efficiently suppressed the KA-induced epileptic behaviors of rats in a dose-dependent manner, as recorded by electroencephalography. Furthermore, peimine ameliorated hippocampal neuron injury in DRE rats, and promoted an M1-to-M2 microglial phenotype shift in a dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, peimine inhibited the TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, peimine suppressed the apoptosis of primary neurons induced by LPS-treated microglia. In conclusion, peimine augments the microglial polarization towards an M2 phenotype by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway, thereby attenuating DRE.